Sept. 1, 1942.

w. L. FULLER

2,294,361

ELECTRICAL PICKUP FOR STRINGEDVMUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Filed Aug. 14, 1940

173.1"

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ATTORNEY-S

Patented Sept. 1, 1942

2,294,861

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,294,861
ELECTRICAL PICKUP FOR STRIN GED
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Walter L. Fuller, Kalamazoo, Mich, assignor to
Gibson, Inc., Kalamazoo, Mich.
Application August 14, 1940, Serial No. 352,480
7 Claims. (Cl. 84-116)
This invention relates to improvements in elec~
The reference numeral 1 in general indicates
trical pickups for stringed musical instruments.
the pickup of my invention which, as illustrated
The main objects of my invention are:
in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, comprises a coil 8 ?xedly
First, to provide an improved electrical pick
associated with a permanent magnet 9 and sur
up for stringed instruments having provision for
rounding a vertically extending pole or plurality
readily and quickly mounting the same on and
of pole pieces l0, see Fig. 4. There may be one

removing the same from the instrument for se

lective adaptation of the same for electrical re

production.
Second, to provide a pickup device of the type
described, which is characterized by the sim
plicity and compactness of its parts.
Third, to provide a pickup which is selectively
adjustable to various positions relative to the
strings or bridge of the instrument to enable the
tones reproduced to be varied as desired.
Further objects relating to details and econ
omies of my invention will appear from the de
scription to follow. The invention is de?ned in

pole extending across all of the strings 5 or a

pole provided with individual pole pieces one for
each string, the present invention not being par
10

ticularly concerned with details of the pickup

construction in this respect.
A two-part casing II houses the electromag
netic structure of the pickup, this casing com
prising a bottom half l2 having pads l2! asso
ciated therewith whereby the casing may be re
movably mounted on the instrument Without

marring the ?nish thereof. An upper casing

half I3 telescopingly engages the lower half and
is provided with an upwardly offset portion l4

the claims.
20 providing an internal recess accommodating the
A structure which embodies the invention is
vertically extending pole or pole pieces Hi. This
illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where
enables the pole piece to be brought closer to
in:
the strings 5, while at the same time providing
Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view illustrating a
ample clearance, for example, at l5, to enable
stringed guitar type instrument with the pickup
the strings to be vibrated without striking or

of my invention operatively associated therewith.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view partially
in vertical section illustrating the pickup of my

interfering with the casing l l.

The electromagnet casing is mounted on the

instrument in a novel manner to enable the same

invention in operative relation to the strings of

to be readily removed therefrom when desired or
the instrument and novel means whereby the 30 adjusted with relation to the strings and bridge
pickup is removably mounted on the same.
to control the playing characteristics. This
Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view partially broken
mounting means is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2
away and in section on line 3-3 of Fig. 4, fur

ther illustrating details of the pickup construc

tion.

'

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in section on

and comprises a clamp l6 made up of a pair of

upper and lower sheetmetal string engaging ele

ments ll, 3 respectively, disposed on opposite
sides of the strings 5 in the space between the
bridge 3 and tailpiece 2 and clampingly engag

line 44 of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view
ing the opposite sides thereof. The knurled clamp
illustrating in further detail the construction - screws l9 .threadedly engage these clamping mem
of the pickup mounting.
40 hers to bring the same together and ?xedly sen
Referring to the drawing, the reference nu
cure the same relative to the strings and to the
meral I indicates a guitar type stringed musical
instrument body.
instrument well adapted to have associated
Casing H has secured thereto, as by integral
therewith the improved pickup in accordance
connection to the lowermost casing half l2, a
with this invention. although it will be appar 45 laterally extending wing 20 terminating in a
ent from the description to follow that the de
. rounded portion or eye 2| to which is rigidly
vice is not limited in its application and may
connected the rearW-ardly extending adjusting and
be used with any suitable stringed or other in
mounting rod 22 for the pickup. This connec
strument having a plurality of vibrators. The
tion may be effected by Welding, offsetting or
instrument described herein includes a tailpiece
other process. The string engaging clamp I6
2, a bridge 3, and a fret bar 4 with which are

associated a plurality of strings 5 in entirely

conventional manner. The reference numeral
6 indicates a shield such as is ordinarily asso

ciated with instruments of this type.

is provided at one side thereof with an adjust

able bight 23 slidably receiving the free end of

rod 22 (see Fig. 5) and a thumb screw 24 co

acts with this bight to enable the clamp rod 22

55 to be clamped in any desired adjustment of the

2,294,861

rod and pickup casing relative to the strings.

Thus, by loosening screw 24, the pickup may be
adjusted from the solid line position of Fig. 1
to the dotted line position and vice versa, there
by governing to a considerable extent the tonal
qualities of the notes electrically reproduced. If
,it is desired to dispense with electrical reproduc

tion, the pickup is quickly and easily removed

in its entirety by merely releasing screws l9 and
removing the clamp from the strings.
In line with the foregoing purposes, I pro
vide one of the clamping members l1, l8, and
preferably the latter, as illustrated in Fig. 2,
with an integral projecting arm 25 upon which

movable from the instrument, comprising a pick

up adapted to be disposed adjacent the strings, a
casing housing the pickup, a guide rod secured
to the casing and extending rearwardly toward
the tailpiece of the instrument, and a clamp

slidably receiving and adjustably clamping said

guide rod, said clamp having means for ?xedly
securing the same to the strings between the

bridge and tailpiece of the instrument and being

removable from the strings whereby the pickup
construction may be removed in its entirety from

the instrument.
3. A pickup construction for a stringed musi
cal instrument which is adjustable on and re

the volume or tone control 25 is mounted, the 15 movable from the instrument, comprising a pick
up having a vertically extending pole piece
same having a knob 21 for manual actuation.

This control is connected to the pickup coil by

a connector 23.

In order to enable the pickup to be ?rmly

mounted without vibration on the instrument
body panel, the casing l l is provided. with a lat
eral spring ?nger 29 on the opposite side thereof
from the rod supporting wing 20, as illustrated
in Fig. 3, which ?nger resiliently engages be
neath the shield B in the manner illustrated in

adapted to be disposed adjacent and beneath

the strings of the instrument, a casing for the

pickup having a portion offset vertically above

the remaining portion of the casing and de?n
ing an internal recess accommodating said pole
piece whereby to provide clearance externally of
the casing between the strings and said remain
ing portion, a mounting element on said casing

and extending rearwardly toward the tailpiece

Fig. 1 to prevent any tendency of the structure

to vibrate.
By the foregoing, an instrument is provided
which is quickly and easily set up for electrical

of the instrument, and a clamp removably en

its parts.

pickup construction removed in its entirety from

the instrument if desired.

gageable with the instrument strings between

the bridge and tailpiece of the instrument and

adjustably receiving and clamping said element

reproduction or not, as desired. The structure 30 whereby the position of the pickup relative to
the bridge and strings may be varied and the
is entirely unitary and is compact and simple in

A simple manipulation of the rod

clamp screw 24 enables the position of the pickup

longitudinally of the strings to be adjusted at
will. Of course, the extent to which this adjust
ment is possible Will be limited to the point at

which the pickup casing engages strings 5; how

ever, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, the forming
of the casing with the upward offset l4 providing

4. A pickup construction for a stringed musical

instrument which is adjustable on and removable

from the instrument, comprising a pickup hav
ing a vertically extending pole piece adapted to
be disposed adjacent and beneath the strings of

the instrument, a casing for the pickup having

the clearance space l5 adds substantially to the 40 a portion offset vertically above the remaining
portion of the casing and de?ning an internal
space through which the same may be adjusted.
recess accommodating said pole piece whereby to
I have illustrated and described my improve
provide clearance externally of the casing be
ments in an embodiment which is very practical.
tween the strings and said remaining portion,
I have not attempted to illustrate or describe
and means for adjustably securing said casing
other embodiments or adaptations as it is be
on the instrument.
lieved this disclosure will enable those skilled in
5. A pickup construction for a stringed musical
the art to embody or adapt my improvements
instrument
having a bridge and tailpiece, com
as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters

Patent is:
1. A pickup construction for a stringed musi
cal instrument which is adjustable on and re

movable from the instrument, comprising a pick

up having a vertically extending pole piece
adapted to be disposed adjacent and beneath the
strings, a casing including a top casing member
housing the pickup and having an offset portion
extending above the remainder of the casing
member and accommodating the pole piece
whereby to provide clearance between the strings
and said remaining portion, a guide rod secured
to one side of the casing and extending rear

wardly toward the tailpiece of the instrument,

and a clamp slidably receiving and adjustably

clamping said guide rod, said clamp having

means for ?xedly securing the same to the strings
between the bridge and tailpiece of the instru
ment, said clamp having control means for the

prising a clamp adapted to be removably associ

ated with the instrument and having means for

?xedly securing the same to the strings thereof

between the bridge and tailpiece of the instru
ment, and a pickup adapted to be disposed on
the instrument body beneath the strings thereof
and on the side of the bridge opposite from said
clamp, said pickup having a guide rod secured
thereto and extending longitudinally of the
strings, said clamp having means coacting with
said rod to secure the pickup relative to the
clamp in various adjusted positions thereof lon

gitudinally of the strings, said clamp having

mounted thereon a control electrically connected
with the pickup.
6. A pickup construction for a stringed musical
instrument, comprising a clamp adapted to be
removably associated with the instrument in
cluding means for ?xedly securing the same to

the instrument, a pickup mounted on and car

ried by said clamp adapted to be disposed on the
70
pickup mounted thereon and being removable
instrument adjacent the strings, and coacting

from the strings whereby the pickup construc

tion may be removed in its entirety from the in

* strument.

2. A pickup construction for a stringed musi

cal instrument which is adjustable on and re

means on said clamp and pickup to secure the

pickup to the clamp in various adjusted positions

of the pickup relative to the clamp and longitu
dinally of the strings, said clamp having mount

2,294,861

ed thereon a control electrically connected with

member adapted to be disposed adjacent the
the pickup.
vibrators to constitute the same parts of a unit,
7. A pickup construction for a musical instru
and means directly securing said pickup to said
ment having a plurality of vibrators, comprising
member, said mounting member having secured
a. mounting member having means for ?xedly 5 thereto a control for the pickup electrically con
but removably securing the same to the instru
nected with the latter.
ment, a pickup mounted on and carried by said
WALTER L.